Nearly a decade ago, the collocation “X-files” became popular. Due to the plot of a famous film, X-files are now associated with the information about the UFO, which is accessible exclusively for a tight circle of professionals (Lazerri, 1). So is the information about UFOs still secret and who decides whether the public is allowed to know it? Nowadays these questions bother every American, as people are willing to know the truth.
Undoubtedly, United States government should release more UFO information to the public. In order to support our position, we analyzed the works of three experts in the field. For instance, Bruce Maccabee, the doctor of Philosophy, is a collector of secret files from the government; Chris Rutkovsky is a recognized astronomer who studies UFO; and Lawrence Fawcett used to work in the Government and had an access to its secrets.
Position support
The need for the United States government to release more UFO information to the public is obvious. The mass manipulation of citizens lasts for centuries; the information undergoes a number of filters before being introduced to the public. In pursuit of truth, people want to know what is happening indeed and what the results of the numerous researches carried during the last years are.
Bruce Maccabee argues that the information about UFOs should not be secret. Firstly, the author investigates the issue of existence of the X-files, assuming that they may be just a part of a simulation operation. Next, he agrees on the fact that there are a lot of evidence about the UFO existence and its origins.
For instance, Maccabee describes the documents he had a chance to see in the governmental institutions, with precise descriptions of the UFO and their contacts with the Earth. Finally, the writer reveals some data about UFO and presents the studies that were carried more that half a century ago. The writer says that the studies about UFO started at 1973, and all the facts were hidden from publics (Maccabee, 131).
Similarly, the idea of the necessity of UFO data to be revealed is expressed by Rutkovski. However, the author studies the international environment rather than the American one. Rutkovski is rather skeptical about UFOs; his critical notes are sometimes striking; however, the author expresses an opinion that ignorant people are easier to manipulate.
Therefore, he insists that the liberty of people would not be limited by the misleading information (Rutkovski, 82). Rutkovski compares the myths about UFO that exist in different cultures and by these means shows how ignorant people are in this sphere.
Another author, Lawrence Fawcett, is more radical in comparison with those mentioned above. He states that UFO can be dangerous for the security of the country, and as a result, of its citizens (Fawcett, 113). The author is deeply convinced that UFO tries to set a contact with Earth and people not only for communication, but because they want to exploit people and our planet.
According to the author, this is the reason why UFO is sometimes kidnapping people and studying human bodies. Due to this fact, the publics have a right to know the truth about UFOs in order to be aware of possible risks. The opinion of Fawcett fully represents our idea.
Discussion
Despite the fact that all the three authors wish the UFO information to be revealed to the public, they all are aware of the possible consequences. There obviously have to be some reasons why the government keeps the data about unknown flying objects in secret; most possibly, these reasons are important.
For instance, the presentation of the UFO data to the public can cause panic. People would be afraid, feeling unsafe on their own planet. This can lead to serious problems, such as great depression, rebellions or even anarchy. Lawrence Fawcett expresses an idea that even though the information about UFOs is important, it can be as well dangerous (Fawcett, 81). The author also considers the fact that there are also people who are unwilling to know about UFOs; in this case, why should they get acquainted to this sort of information?
Rutkovski also thinks that there can occur some unpredicted reactions in the publics after the information about the UFOs id revealed (Rutkovski, 152). The writer explains that the government had to keep the information in secret earlier; however, he does not approve the fact that today, when everybody is aware of the existence of UFO, the data is still hidden.
In contrast, Maccabee thinks that the reveal of UFO data to general public can be solely positive. The author says that the government had been hiding the truth for too long; in addition, there are some operations that are claimed to be connected to UFO and therefore called secret, but in fact they just cover other dirty games of the American state (Maccabee, 74).
Therefore, Maccabee thinks that people have a right to know the real situation. The author is deeply convinced that the American society is conscious enough to accept the information about the UFOs and decide what to do with it.
Conclusion
The idea that the United States government should release more UFO information to the public was expressed by a number of specialists. On one hand, the fact that the people are kept ignorant about the current situation in the sphere of UFO is unfair, as everyone has a right to be well-informed. On the other hand, this sort of information is very special and can be destructive for the society and its consciousness. All in all, the knowledge of an individual depends not only on sources, but also on their own wish to know the truth.
Works Cited
Fawcett, L, Greenwood, B. UFO Cover-up: What the Government Won’t Say. Fireside, 1990.
Lazerri, A. “British X-files papers revealed” The Sun. 2009. Web.
Maccabee, B, Maupin, M. UFO-FBI Connection. Llewellyn Worldwide, LTD, 2000.
Rutkovski, C, Dittman, G. The Canadian UFO Report: The Best Cases Revealed California: Dundurn Group, 2006.
In A History of the Colonization of Africa by Alien Races, author Harry H. Johnston surveys the history of Africa from the point of view of permanent control. The reason for this is the campaigns of the European and Arab races, which lined up the colonies. In 525 BC Egypt was conquered by the Persians in 332 by Alexander the Great. 1 In 323 BC Egypt went to his commander Ptolemy Lag, who in 305 BC declared himself a king and Egypt became the state of the Ptolemies.2 Endless wars undermined the country, and by the 2nd century BC. Egypt was conquered by Rome. 3 In 395 AD, Egypt became part of the Eastern Roman Empire, from 476 as part of the Byzantine Empire.4 At the stage of the ancient world and antiquity, the conquests did not end, but only served as the beginning of a long chain of colonization of the mainland.
Negative Consequences and Continuation of Colonization
In the Middle Ages, Europeans made new attempts to develop African land. During the twelfth century, the crusaders conquering actions led to a significant economic decline, which later caused the lack of some resources and materials. This led to a series of disasters for the Africans and their subsequent development as a separate civilization (Duiker and Spielvogel 2019). The agricultural production had shifted focus on the cereals, dates, olives and horticultural crops. The significant territories were occupied for cattle breeding.5 Most of North Africa could have been compared to the desert soil type, which negatively affected the agriculture of the region.6 This resulted in the disappearance of a large number of local populations, as well as cities and shopping centers.7 Feudal and tax oppression, the deteriorating environmental situation led to negative consequences.
Islamic authorities had no power to control the negative sentiments of the public and eliminate the political and other external threats simultaneously. Johnston notes that at the turn of the 15th-16th centuries, the territories of North Africa were captured by the Spaniards, the Portuguese and the Order of St. John. 8 There are two main types of colony circulation – “direct” and “indirect” control. This was due to differences in the interests and capabilities of the metropolitan countries and in the intensity of their penetration into Africa. This led to the first positive consequences for the African population, which needs to be analyzed in more detail.
Control Types
The first type “direct” control was characteristic of the colonies of France, Portugal, Belgium and Germany. It provided for the creation of a centralized administrative system modeled on metropolitan areas with the concentration of power in European administrators. Great Britain, on the other hand, applied “indirect” control, retained traditional African political institutions, which continued to govern the internal life of local societies (Duiker and Spielvogel 2019). Such actions were positive in terms of establishing more trustful relationships with the Africans. The pre-colonial structures were restructured, and new leaders had many renovated duties and responsibilities. 9 Authorized persons turned into civil servants of the colonial administration while maintaining control over them by British officials.
With any method of governing the colonies, the local leaders of the tribes and the top of the society of the conquered peoples did not act as defenders of the rights of the indigenous inhabitants. They usually tried to adapt to a new way of life, while receiving any advantages and benefits. 10 Collaborationism, the cooperation of the colonialists and local elites, was quite widespread. Later, a mixed system appeared in Africa, in which most of the British colonies were “indirect” rule. At the same time, it was the colonial administration that exercised power in the most advantageous areas for Europeans. At the same time, in some countries of Southern Africa, such as the current South Africa, such zones accounted for most of the country’s territory.
Development of Administration
Features of colonial administration influenced the situation with the protection of human rights in the colonies. Direct rule itself was already a violation of the civil rights of the indigenous population, who had lost the possibility of state building by the members of their society.11 The colonial seizure and the regime of strict direct control slowed down the process of creating their own independent states by local peoples. Despite the differences in the systems of colonial administration and economic methods, the mother countries pursued the goal of creating favorable conditions for the exploitation of the natural and human resources of the continent.
In relation to the human rights of the indigenous peoples of Africa, the position of the British, on the one hand, and the Latin peoples, on the other, was different. The French, Spaniards and Portuguese have long pursued a policy of assimilation based on the dual postulate of the equal value of all people and the superiority of European civilization.12 This policy lasted until the end of the colonial era. The French Constitution of 1946 declared that the natives retain their personal status if they do not renounce it.
The situation in the Belgian Congo was not much different; the principle of respect for native customs was confirmed earlier in this country. In the Belgian Congo, as in the French possessions, assimilation had the character of a normal completion of civilizing actions, and the metropolis directly took control of the country. 13 By the time the colonialists arrived, African tribes and states were dominated by customary law, which protected human rights in the understanding of the local population. 14 Traditional law reflected, in a variety of ways, the concept of society held by a village or a tribe. However, it was not suitable for adapting with the necessary speed to the type of new society that was being established in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Human Rights and Law
Therefore, the reception of modern law took place here, affecting primarily those areas where the transition to a new civilization was especially felt. On the other hand, one can note the transformation of customary law even where it provided complete regulation. This happened because the colonizing power did not consider it as sufficiently civilized. In the African colonial countries of Great Britain, the so-called “colonial law” was formed, which was different from the law of the mother country.15 Its formation took place under the influence of British legislation, which, to a certain extent, was adapted to the legal systems of the colonies. However, the positive law emerging in the colonies largely ignored the natural rights of man and citizen. Thus, despite the almost permanent colonization and dependence, one cannot characterize European influence as only negative. Nevertheless, Johnston correctly noted that almost the entire history and path of development of Africa is a set of actions of races alien to the continent.
Bibliography
Duiker, William J. and Spielvogel, Jackson J. The Essential World History, Volume II: Since 1500, Ninth Edition. Boston, Mass.: Cengage Learning, 2019.
Johnston, Harry H. A History of the Colonization of Africa by Alien Races. Cambridge, Mass.: Cambridge University Press, 2011.
Footnotes
Harry Johnston, A History of the Colonization of Africa by Alien Races (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2011), 16.
Johnston, A History of the Colonization of Africa, 21.
Johnston, 23.
Johnston, 43.
William Duiker and Jackson Spielvogel, The Essential World History, Volume II: Since 1500, Ninth Edition (Boston: Cenegage Learnin, 2019), 190.
Duiker and Spielvogel, The Essential World History, 192.
The presence of aliens in different forms can be traced in numerous works of art, such as paintings, fiction literature, documentaries, and action movies. I, Robot portrays the picture of the future, where the robots became an inherent part of society. It shows the world in which the use of robotics became standard for everyone, and the machines perform different kinds of activities, including housework, taking care after sick people, walking the dogs, shopping, and others. It is crucial to mention that robots became so mundane for humans that no one is paying attention to them as something unique. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the concept of aliens and its implications in the movie I, Robot.
Main body
First, it is critical to understand that although everyone does not view the active utilization of robotics as something extraordinary, the androids are still not considered to be equal members of society. In other words, the machines become assistants to humans, ensuring their safety and comfortable existence. The plot of the movie revolves around the agent Spooner who does not have trust in robots and believes that they can become a threat to humanity. Spooner investigates suspicious cases is not convinced that the laws of robotics work. It is found out later that Virtual Interactive Kinetic Intelligence (VIKI) designed by the U.S. Robotics stands behind all the discrepancies and troubles (I, Robot). One can say that artificial intelligence created by humans decided to outperform the creator.
The movie’s director is raising an essential issue of human co-existence with technological development. As Cohen mentions in Monster’s Theory, “monsters are our children” (20). It is possible to state that modern advancements are the reflection of something different from humans, which, as a result, can inculcate fear and the feeling of the unknown. The beliefs that people can subjugate robots represent the attempts to overcome potential dangers that the developments hinder. It can also be compared to the presence of aliens among humans, where robotic creations differ from humans in numerous aspects.
In the movie, people found a way to co-exist with something new, whereas it is vital to remember that the machines were designed by humans who were assured that they could control them. However, rationale without emotions, as VIKI possessed, can lead to dramatic events and unregulated dominance, and destructions. In contrast, it is worth mentioning Sonny, who turned out to be a robot with the ability to have feelings and sentiments. The same situation can be with aliens because it might be challenging to see whether one can perceive and sensate such emotions as compassion, friendship, or care. Thus, I, Robot delivers an essential thought to society, which implies that judging something or someone only by their appearance can be misleading.
The paragraph above mentions Sonny, who became one of the main characters. Sonny is a clear representation of humaneness, which can be viewed as ambiguous because he is a machine. Nevertheless, every individual can learn a lot from him, due to the traits that he has, such as honesty, logic, and kindness. Throughout the movie, Sonny was self-searching, trying to understand the dreams and death, trying to understand the concepts that are an inalienable part of humans’ lives. Therefore, although Sonny was a representative of an alien among people, he proved not to differ from them besides his creation and appearance, which, after all, is not the most significant part.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I, Robot raises various questions about artificial intelligence, its presence among communities, its influence, and hidden threats. Besides, the question of humanity within the machines is also an essential consideration in this picture. The view on the relationship between people and robots is at the core of I, Robot. It shows that robotic developments are more than one might think they are, and they can surprise, like Sonny, who had his personality, his fears, feelings, and questions. The life among those who are unfamiliar in terms of how they look like can bring many aspects and show that one should not judge a book by its cover.
References
Jeffrey Jerome, Cohen. “Monster Culture (Seven Thesis).” Monster Theory: Reading Culture, edited by Jeffrey Jerome Cohen, University of Minnesota Press, 1996, pp. 3-25.
I, Robot. Directed by Alex Proyas, Twentieth Century Fox, 2004.
Nowadays, despite the development of modern technologies and an increase in the level of education of people, there are still many phenomena and theories that do not have scientific explanations. One of these theories is the idea about aliens who come to Earth from another planet using special flying devices, which are commonly referred by people as Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs). Having an interest in unknown, mysterious objects, Earthmen created numerous media sources such as movies, pulp magazines, and TV shows about UFOs (Callahan, 2017). In this essay, the ways and reasons why aliens are presented as subjects of fear in Hollywood films of the 1950s will be discussed. The information will be focused on the movie named The Thing from Another World.
The Thing from Another World is an American science-fiction horror film, which was produced in 1951. The story is based on the novella Who Goes There? written by an American author, John W. Campbell, in 1938. The plot revolves around the arrival of an alien to the Earth. This humanoid is extremely dangerous as it feeds upon the blood of both people and animals. To avert the danger, scientists decided to get rid of the alien and kill it by electrical current.
According to the professor of film and media studies, Telotte (2001), all Science Fiction Films can be divided into three types, namely marvelous, fantastic, and uncanny. Marvelous movies imply “the impact of forces outside the human realm, fantastic films entail changes in society, while uncanny stories mean technological alterations and substitute versions of the self” (Telotte, 2001, p.12). Thus, the movie The Thing from Another World can be applied to the category of marvelous films, as it shows the encounters of human beings with representatives of other planets and worlds. These representatives are often presented as subjects of fears in movies, and The Thing from Another World is not an exception.
There are a number of reasons why aliens are shown as subjects of fear in the film. The first reason is that humans do not trust something if they do not have any knowledge about it or records. This uncertainty results in subconscious anxiety and the desire to protect human beings from an unknown threat (Callahan, 2017). Thus, one of the last phrases in the film encourages people to be more attentive and watch the sky in case of any suspicious activity. In general, in the context of the film, producers of The Thing from Another World demonstrate aliens as metaphors for the potential unexpected danger that comes from unknown, unexplored sources.
There are no scientifically proven facts that confirm the existence of aliens. However, if they exist, it is obvious that their civilization is more advanced than the level of human development. Thus, they are traveling from other planets overcoming hundreds of thousands of light-years, which is impossible for humankind. Moreover, they possess a number of magical features, such as the ability to convert into human form, reproduce in a short period of time, and survive in unfavorable conditions (The thing from another world 1951). Therefore, it is logical to suggest that they have technologies and abilities that are far more developed than those possessed by men. As a result, in case of confrontations, it would be hard for human beings to win over aliens. This is the second reason why aliens are presented as subjects of fear. In addition, this way of showing the weakness of human civilization may serve as a motivation for scientists who study space. Improvement of modern technologies and implementation of innovations will help to facilitate the process of space exploration and find out if there is life on other planets that might be dangerous for Earthmen.
The third reason is that, in general, filmmakers tend to create movies that would attract as many people as possible. After a long working day, people want to distract themselves and enjoy watching a fascinating movie that would allow them to forget about daily concerns and problems (Callahan, 2017). The story about friendship with aliens might be found less interesting and fascinating by the public. Hence, in order to gather as many spectators as possible, the filmmakers of The Thing from Another World created an image of fear and danger that keeps the audience in tension till the end of the movie. This fear serves as the center of narration and the main problem of the film that needs to be resolved.
To find possible ways to present humanoids as subjects of fear, producers use their knowledge about the behavior of human beings rather than humanoids. To show the invasion of aliens, the filmmakers refer to historical information that demonstrates the military and bloody nature of colonizers. Being unable to explore behavioral peculiarities of humanoids due to the absence of such data, the producers represent the alien as a colonizer, demonstrating bloody scenes and aggressive behavior. In this context, the humanoid is shown as a symbol of a bad human whose actions bring a negative impact on society. Therefore, scientists face a challenging problem when they have to invent a means to fight with the uninvited guest while it did not destroy the world.
Another way to present the humanoids as a subject of fear in the film is to show the difference between humans and aliens by describing the body structure of the humanoid. According to the film, the alien creature did not have flesh, blood, and nerve cells. Instead, it had green liquid inside its organism that reminded juice rather than blood. In addition, this creature was given the abilities that cannot be possessed by human beings. Thus, it can survive being frozen in an ice cube for a long time, cannot be killed by shooting, and is capable of quick multiplying. Therefore, this set of skills makes the alien hard to eradicate, which results in people’s fear of humanoids.
Therefore, it can be concluded that there are three reasons as to why aliens are shown as subjects of fear in the film. These reasons are the natural fear of human beings of unknown subjects, the potential danger that might come from more developed civilizations, and the desire of filmmakers to attract more spectators. The creation of the image of aliens as subjects of fear is achieved in three ways. These ways are building of the humanoid’s image based on the knowledge about humans, demonstration of physical difference between aliens and people, and empowerment of the humanoids by magical features that cannot be possessed by Earthmen. It is significant to mention that despite all the difficulties met by humans on their way to get rid of the guest, the Earthmen managed to disable the alien. The metaphorical meaning of the main ideas of the movie shows that the danger may come from unknown sources that need to be explored. It would help people to save the world from the potential collapse and provide peaceful and comfortable living conditions for all generations.
Episode 1 Astro Boy
It is not a secret that modern technologies have become an integral part of people’s lives. Experience has shown that there are no limits for the achievements of scientists as well as no boundaries for humans’ imagination and creativity. While scholars of various specializations announce the development of new technologies, those who work in media also make their contribution. Their opinions and ideas about modern inventions, as well as their positive and negative impacts on society are expressed in books, movies, or TV shows. The description of people’s lives in the future in media resources is especially popular as it can serve as an excellent educational tool. For instance, it shows the positive effects people might have if they invent a new medication or problems that can be caused by people’s thoughtless utilization of technologies. Episode 1 of Astro Boy, a Japanese TV series, is a great example of media work that shows the impact of modern technologies on society. This essay will contain the answer to the question of how the representation of the future reflects the problems of the time when Episode 1 of Astro Boy was created.
Even though the movie Astro Boy was filmed in the 1960s, it narrates the story that allegedly happened in 2000. A scientist, Dr. Tenma, loses his son, Tobio, in a car crash. Being unable to deal with the grief, he decides to create a robot that would look like his son. However, the robot does not bring happiness for Dr. Tenma, as it is not capable of growing up and have a life similar to the lives of humans. Therefore, the scientist sells it to the circus, which results in losing his job as a scientist at the Ministry of Science. His place is succeeded by Dr. Ochanomizu, who treats the robots in a completely different way than Dr. Tenma. He is a gentle and kind person who does not see androids as machines or slaves but treats them as human beings. By the end of the episode, he frees Tobio from the circus and becomes its father.
The Astro Boy TV series transfer many important ideas for society, which ensured its popularity. It is the first anime series that was translated into English in order to be broadcasted abroad (Maydia, 2015). The most distinguishing feature of the episode is the reflection of problems that existed in Japanese society in the 1960s through the representation of the future. Osamu Tezuka, a film producer, created this series in order to show people how the problems of the current time can affect people’s lives in the future. It is well known that Japan experienced remarkable economic growth in the 1960s, which is called Japan’s economic miracle (Beckley, Horiuchi and Miller, 2018). This economic boom was ensured not only by the discovery of mineral resources in the country but also by the hard work of scientists and other parts of the population. Trying to eliminate the consequences of World War II, the government of the state decided to reduce the economic gap between Japan and developed countries. As a result, the majority of the population was working hard for many hours a day, especially in manufacturing.
In his film, Tezuka used robots as a specific metaphor that implies people who work as slaves trying to rebuild their country. The state authorities treat people as machines and do not care about their needs and concerns, similarly to the way how Dr. Tenma used to treat his robots. However, when other authorities come to power, the efforts of hard-working people will be appreciated and every person will find his or her vocation. It will happen the same way as Tobio found its place next to Dr. Ochanomizu. Therefore, the producer of the film, giving the robots symbolical meaning, tried to call people’s attention to the current situation in the country. In addition, he demonstrated the consequences of the war, which resulted in the destruction of the state and the necessity to rebuild the economic situation using people’s work. Therefore, the anti-war theme is one of the most significant ideas of the series.
Another feature that reflects the significant issue that prevailed in Japan in the 1960s is the persistent desire of humans to interfere with nature. It is obvious that losing a kid is the most terrible experience that a human being might have. Nevertheless, Tezuka highlights that it does not matter how far science has progressed, people will not be able to alter the law of nature. The only outcome that scientists can get as a result of their experimentations is a disappointment, as it was in the case of Dr. Tenma. Describing the feelings of the scientist, the filmmaker transferred the idea that people are obsessed with technologies. They do not understand that there are still some things that they would not be able to deal with even in forty years.
According to the theory of Telotte (2001) about the categorization of the Science Fiction Films, the Astro Boy can be applied to the group of fantastic movies. Fantastic movies show the “changes in society, which are wrought by science and technology” (Telotte, 2001, p. 12). However, it has been more than 50 years since the first release of Astro Boy, and today the idea of people living with androids does not seem fantastic anymore. Indeed, that is not news that the production of robots has been increasing for the last decades. People aim to use the workforce of androids in order to reduce their working days and the number of employees in manufacturing. Thus, more than 50 years prior to the events that happen nowadays, Tezuka predicted what might happen in the future.
It can be concluded that technological progress has its advantages and disadvantages. While it has been developing rapidly for the last decades, people forgot that they are not capable of changing the law of nature. There are still some things that even the smartest and most experienced scientists would not be able to deal with. Therefore, one of the problems reflected in the movie is people’s insensitivity about nature. Another problem is the willingness of the authorities to enslave people to achieve their goals by the hands of others. Also, Tezuka shows how important it is to keep the peace as it is very hard to deal with the circumstances of military actions in the future. Being a talented and creative person, Tezuka could generate a series that reflect the problems that prevailed in the 1960s in Japan. He could show what consequences people might have if they do not think about their deeds now.
Reference List
Beckley, M., Horiuchi, Y. and Miller, J. (2018) ‘America’s role in the making of Japan’s economic miracle’, Journal of East Asian Studies, 18, pp. 1–21.
Callahan, T. (2017) ‘The real origin of UFO’s and aliens: how the media shaped our ideas about extraterrestrials’, Sceptic [Altadena, CA], 22(3), pp. 12–32.
Maydia, P. (2015) ‘Astro Boy and the ethics of technology’, Screen Education, 78, pp. 20–23.
Telotte, J. (2001) Science fiction film. London, UK: Cambridge University Press. The thing from another world 1951, film, Los Angeles, USA.
“Aliens” is an upshot of the movie Alien that was produced and released in 1986. This outstanding work of Cameron has been faced with critical comments since its release. A very high status had already been set by the precedent movie Alien produced and directed by Scott.
The status attached to this series has broken a record that almost all directors have not been able to hit. Virtually, all producers and directors trying to follow the lead set by this movie have found themselves resigning to the levels of patchiness among critics. Even “Alien 3,” a film by Fincher went through a hard time trying to compete with the Aliens.
The contributors to the success of the film Aliens are seemingly obvious, meaning that, the groundbreaking and fast-paced action. This fast-paced action further helps to portray the movie’s theme in the desired way. These aspects offered the movie a visceral immediacy that was very notable to the dark and worrying, but lethargically paced, description of the first movie.
Conversely, the original version of the film was considered by many film analysts to be artistically superior. The Aliens is a fascinating and unique film. However, many audiences and analysts have not regarded it as a very good upshot. The reactions to this critical sentiment would result to emergence of endless critical debates about the film today (Kaplan, 2000). However, despite the debates, the quality of the acting has remained as one of the best during the time of acting.
The visceral distinctions between the two movies are obvious. When developing his movie, Scott employs varying sound techniques to influence the emotional faculties of his viewers. Most of the plot development revolves around matters of human reproduction. These components in the film were very unique and authentic in the Alien.
They are as vital to the success of the film as the persuading visual structures and plot. In Alien, these psychological aspects are not present. Furthermore, the film has very little suspense in that, predicting the next scene is very easy and this makes the film boring. This makes a viewer to judge Cameron as a less sophisticated movie producer or director (Butler, 2004).
The action scenes in the Aliens suggested that fascination with sophisticated guns and stylistic warfare depicted by Cameron were analogous to the shooting scale enthusiast who gathers military paraphernalia. This is facilitated by macho fantasy and perhaps an overt fascist ideology.
From a thematic point of view, the two films are almost alike. In Alien, the action is far less aggressive than in the Aliens. As the movie ends, viewers are treated to a bizarre scene characterised by file pictures of the effects of warfare on humans. This is evidence enough that Cameron has a serene and possibly naive philosophical orientation (Adair, 2001).
Both films have a special way that they use to represent violence and war. It is notable that violence and war as depicted in the films is not human against human, but rather man versus automated structures.
In a nutshell, in these movies, violence is inter-species. This theme could have been informed by varying factors such as continued armed conflicts in various parts of the world. The most practical war that could have led to this dominant theme is most probably the war in Vietnam. Indirectly, the films seem to depict war among human beings as primitive as war should be restricted to human versus the aliens.
The end of Vietnam War was just 10 years before Aliens was produced. Many people speculate that news coverage of the Vietnam War may have been the main drive in the production of Cameron’s political ideologies during his youth.
Whatever may have caused his fascination with violence, Cameron’s ideas on the topic seems to be essentially duo at the time he released Aliens. Even the well-intended people must maintain the potential for violence, even if they don’t use it. However, Cameron has used a different framework in the film Aliens.
In a later scene, the aliens put off the power to the med-lab before initializing their own retaliatory attack against the humans. In this scene, Hudson who is the most aggressive of the marine soldiers develops cowardice signs when he is faced with a foe that is, his equivalent. In another scene, the queen alien indicates an elementary knowledge of the weaponry intimidation from Ripley, and she succeeds in using an elevator.
This can be interpreted as a fight between known forces and unknown forces of the world. The movie tries to show the immense dangers that man may still face despite the sophistication in weaponry muscle. This means that although the human population may have conquered many human enemies through possession of weapons, there are still threats that the human populace is yet to tackle.
Alien has a bleak thematic plot. It presents a vision of human race as a weak, helpless and hopeless biological mishap in an inexorable hostile world. The film did not provide any other hope to the audience than a figurative retreat of the main actor to the secure salvation of tense sleep.
The film successfully wins perfect triumph in the horror category. Even if Cameron repeated the content used by Scott in his film, there would be no significant implication. He takes the storyline forward into a new locale, but most significantly he develops the psychological topics and key characters of the original movie and develops them in a persuading and valuable new direction.
In a nutshell, “Alien” was a narrative of psychological ordeal, a first act. “Aliens” is a tale of recuperation and empowerment, which is essentially a progression from the first act (Jung, 1995).
At the beginning of the film, Aliens Ripley’s living dread of the alien beings is determined to haunt her throughout her life. The conditions and occurrences of the rest of the movie all lead to a single bearing. This is the harmless confrontation between Ripley and her own dread.
With fear, Ripley vacillates before entering the building where a multitude of alien creatures have conquered human oppressors. She views an oppressor die in anguish through a com-link to a camera on a helmet. In one scene, we see how Ripley gains courage after the first war ensues.
This battle is led by a bugling general and Ripley takes the advantage and assumes her own rescue mission. At this juncture, her involvement in the mission is frightened and focused on run off rather than hit. After discovering that she is captured in the universe with a group of grunts, she occupies the position of an organizer (Foucault, 1970). In this position she tries to use the available resources in a creative manner to calm delirious soldiers who are taking charge themselves.
The team working with Ripley are killed one after the other. This is analogous to what was in the original film. However, instead of withdrawing in terror, Ripley charges into the alien body using her teeth. At this scene, she confronts a situation she fears most.
Just as in the original film, she finds out a maze of paths, transfixing a flamethrower for safety and running against time to prevent a nuclear detonation. Not only does she eliminate a number of aliens, but she also confronts a much bigger and more superior version of the being that distressed her in the original movie. She faces the queen alien and detonates her children to particles.
In addition to working against aliens, Ripley uses her physical strength and ability to make her efforts important and dismantle the ice with the soldiers and ultimately she becomes their commander. The most victorious of her ventures is her new role in the society (Izod, 1992).
The loss of her child and mother, makes Ripley adopt a new child. The new child is almost the same age as the deceased one when they were separated by death. Integrated to this is an aspect of self-identity. Both are aware that these minute companions are not true forms of protection (Lauretis, 1984).
Due to fear of aliens, the two sleep under the bed. When Ripley charges into the alien’s chest to rescue her child, she indeed helps herself. A profound indication of this framework is that the original Alien movie ended with Ripley’s tense sleep. In Cameron’s movie, the framework is similar as Newt also ends up in intense sleep. Both movies end with the two main actors’ heads tilted at the same angle. This is a perspective that makes both characters an identical size (Kristeva, 2006).
As well as filling the void that was created after her daughter’s death, Ripley discovers something that was not available in the original movie. This is a man that she falls in love with. Though the viewer does not see a fully fledged sexual encounter between Ripley and her male counterpart, its potential is obviously implied. One can remember when Hicks is instructing Ripley on how to operate a loaded gun (Mclntee, 2005).
At times they crack jokes. Among the reason why this sexual concern is vital to Ripley is because of the sexual threats she gets from the monster in the original film. By fascinating coincidence there was no open sexual connection between the two in the original movie (Berg, 1996). However, there is a script where Ripley engages in sexual encounters with Captain Dallas. Finding a trustable love partner is fundamental to Ripley’s revitalization in the film Aliens.
Use of guns, not to mention other modern weapons of war to symbolise, dominance power and threat has remained a preserve of all action movies, and Aliens is not an exception. The actor Vasques is a restrained role-model for Ripley on this matter. Though she is a woman, she holds the strongest gun and is the most aggressive and courageous in war. She is seen physically fighting the monsters while she shoots with a pistol. This is in a way a forerunner to Ripley’s own fighting of the queen monster.
Ripley’s intention to share her experiences concerning her original film is interrupted by Vasques. By the time the film is ending, Ripley has overcome her panics and fears and can now talk to anyone. In correspondence with Vasques’ employment of monster guns, Ripley models her own big gun by fixing a flamethrower and throb rifle together (Donald, 1990).
Another act of overcoming dread and panic for Ripley is her disbelief in androids (McIntee, 2005). He desires the monster because it lacks human aspects, which adds to the movie’s bleak proposal that humans and all their beliefs is nothing compared to the tremendous harshness the universe offers. In an incremental way he gains Ripley’s trust. This makes her even risk the life of her lover during the suicide mission into the monster home (Butler, 1990).
In Alien, the cool sacrifice and manipulation of the Nostromo group by the corporation was virtually a match for the dismay of the monster itself (Hamashima, 2009). In Aliens, in an unsuccessful manner Ripley faces off with the lords of the company, but later she outfoxes Burke.
However, Burke is eventually crashed by the monster while trying to do business out of it. Finally, something else that is not present in Ripley’s life in the original film is humour. The only place where humour is evidenced is when banter jokes with Brett. In Aliens, this is offered by Hudson. Ripley may be overly not entertained, but the audiences are (Ximena & Jason, 2007).
At the height of both viewer contribution and main actor progress, Alien is an incapacitating antidote to the frustrating horror and hopelessness of Alien. Topics and occurrences from the originals movie are changed and relived in a typical development. Ripley’s elevator enters into the monster lair, as she equips herself with ammunitions, guns and explosives. She is also accompanied by throbbing fighting drum score (Foster, 2003).
This is among the most hyper images of human incapacitation in the chronology of cinema. Hyper-sleep that was repeated at the end of both films, and this scene sums up the psychological and emotional change. In the original movie, the end is characterized by surrender from dread while the other one is characterized by a peaceful ending where the main success is conquering.
The second film therefore tends to show that war cannot be always the means to the end, but it can be used to bring some sort of stability where circumstances forces. Therefore, the two films are alike, but teach different things.
In conclusion, it is worth to note that the two movies have a direct way of influencing the human cognitive and its views on war. Both films are developed with a clear view of depicting issues associated with war to the human mind. The two films are also influenced by the surrounding happenings in the sense that they are informed by what human mind pursues.
They depict the insatiable passion among the human population to explore beyond earth and also to control resources on earth. Due to this pursuit, human beings are faced with series of unending wars. It can also be argued that the movies may carry a premonition of the dangers that may face humanity should innovation and exploration not be effectively controlled.
Reference List
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